1) Field of the Invention
The subject matter of this invention relates to an apparatus that is designed to collect conventionally used empty aluminum beverage cans, crush these cans and store them within a collection container. Additionally, the apparatus includes a personal computer with a monitor screen which is programmed to resemble the spinnable reels of a conventional slot machine which are spun when the apparatus receives a valid empty can. When the reels are stopped a payout-line across the reels displays a coupon for a specific product at a value which is printed and dispensed to the user.
2) Description of the Prior Art
At the present time there is extensive effort being expended to recycle products as opposed to dumping of the products within landfills. Currently within the United States, there is being manufactured and used each and every year approximately 100 billion aluminum beverage cans. Used aluminum beverage cans can be recycled to produce new beverage cans or other aluminum parts. It is desirable when recycling beverage cans to condense in size the empty beverage can. If the can is not condensed in size, only a few hundred of these cans can be placed within a large sack, this sack weighing only a few pounds. The can could be crushed to be about 1/10 of its normal length and that same sack would then be able to hold over a thousand cans and still would not be exceedingly heavy weighing about forty pounds.
In the past, there has been utilized numerous types of devices for condensing of beverage cans. These types of devices are known as can crushers with one common type being a manually operated unit which provides for the insertion of one can at a time into the unit and to be manually operated to crush the can. The crushed can is then placed in an appropriate collection container.
There is also been utilized motorized can crushers basically similar to the manual unit previously described with the exception that the force used to crush the can is obtained from an electrically operated motor which works in conjunction with a hydraulic cylinder which does the actual crushing of the can.
It has been known in the past to incorporate a can collection apparatus in conjunction with a gaming apparatus with the intent and purpose being to entice people to utilize the collection apparatus. If the collection operation could be made to comprise entertainment, then individuals would be enticed to utilize the collection apparatus thereby recycling a greater percentage of beverage cans. Also, a game type of collection apparatus could be utilized as a means to advertise grocery type products with coupons being produced and distributed to the user that can be used to reduce the cost of grocery products within a grocery store.
A preferable location for collection apparatuses are at grocery stores. People frequently go to grocery stores and if the can collection apparatus was located adjacent to the front door of the grocery store, it would be convenient for individuals to use. Also, if the can collection apparatus distributed a coupon for a product that the user could use, then the user could take the coupon in the grocery store and purchase that particular product at a reduced cost.
A collection apparatus that includes a gaming type of device provides a win situation for the environment decreasing the amount of aluminum that must be mined each year and decreasing the number of beverage cans that are deposited within landfills, and also a win situation for manufacturers of products by encouraging consumers to purchase the product thereby increasing the business of the manufacturers that include coupons in the can collection apparatus. In the past there have been two known attempts to design a can collection apparatus which includes a gaming device. One such can collection apparatus is within U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,872, issued Apr. 4, 1995 to a Grant G. Clurman. This apparatus of Clurman is directed to a manually operated device which provides for the insertion of either plastic bottles or metallic beverage containers. These different types of containers are separated within the apparatus, the cans being crushed and the plastic containers shredded. The apparatus of Clurman does include a manually operated slot machine reel arrangement in which reels are to be spun and upon identical indicia being displayed at a payout-line across the reels, a prize is to be awarded. The disadvantage of Clurman is that it requires coins to be used by the user in order to operate the recycling apparatus. Most users are not inclined to spend money to recycle bottles and cans.
The second known apparatus is described with the U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,308, issued Feb. 4, 1992 to a Rene Wilhelm. This device includes a similar series of slot machine type reels which are to be spun into operation only upon sensing the admissability of an aluminum beverage can which then gives the user a chance of winning a prize corresponding to what is displayed on the reels after the reels have been stopped. One disadvantage of this particular apparatus is that it uses hydraulics in order to compress the beverage can. The hydraulic system is inherently subject to leakage and is also expensive to incorporate with such a can collection apparatus.